On March 28th, 2013, we had our first Poetry Slam Olympics Qualifier! Congrats to Frankie Marchi who won the slam, Joy Young who valiantly took second, and Rowie Shebala who came in third place.
Frankie Marchi won our slam and was presented with the Golden Gnome on March 28th, 2013. Will he be selected to be on our 2013 National Poetry Slam team?
Since last year, The Poetry Slam Olympics has been the way we determine the top 4 Phoenix poets that will represent Lawn Gnome Publishing and compete together as a team in the City, State, and National Poetry Slam! The winner of THE GOLDEN GNOME SLAMOFF will be heralded with the Golden Gnome Trophy.
Golden Gnome Trophy History:
2012 – Rowie Shebala
2013 – ?
The Phoenix Poetry Slam is every Thursday, 8pm at Lawn Gnome Publishing.
Remember these dates:
March 28 Poetry Slam Olympics Qualifier 1 hosted by Aaron Hopkins-Johnson
April 4 Poetry Slam Olympics Qualifier 2 hosted by Rowie Shebala
April 11 Poetry Slam Olympics Qualifier 3 host Joy Young
April 18 Poetry Slam Olympics Qualifier 4 host Jeremiah Blue ft. Michael C. Ford
April 19 & 20 – 24 Hour Poetry Open Mic hosted by David Tabor
April 25 Poetry Slam Olympics Qualifier 5 host The Klute
April 29th Wild Card Slam host TBA
May 2 Phoenix Poetry Slam ft. Christopher Michael hosted by Rowie Shebala
May 3 THE GOLDEN GNOME SLAMOFF
Beginning at the slam on March 28th, 2013 and until April 25th, 2013, poets may earn points to secure their spot in the GOLDEN GNOME SLAMOFF on May 3rd, 2013 at Lawn Gnome Publishing. The top ten poets that earned the most points from the POETRY SLAM OLYMPICS (all regular slams from 3/28 tp 4/25, remember?) and the winner of the WILD CARD SLAM (rules in following paragraph) will be competing in the GOLDEN GNOME SLAMOFF on May 3rd to determine who gets bragging rights and what four poets will rep Phoenix in the Copper State Championship in July and National Poetry Slam in August.
Anyone from anywhere can pay $5 to compete in the Wild Card Slam on April 29th. It is a ONE ROUND poetry slam. The winner will be able to compete in the Golden Gnome Slamoff, even though they did not compete in the rest of the Slam Olympics. There is no cap off for how many poets can compete in the Wild Card Slam. No poems may be repeated during the Wild Card Slam or the Golden Gnome Slamoff.
Just to be clear, if you want to go to the National Poetry Slam representing Phoenix, you should show up every Thursday at 8pm and read poetry until April 25th.
RULES FOR QUALIFIER SLAMS:
First ten poets to sign-up are in the event. The rest are put in a hat and five will be drawn to be allowed to compete in the slam. All poets that sign-up will receive a participation point for showing up.
POINT SYSTEM:
1st Place- 4 points
2nd Place – 3 points
3rd Place – 2 points
Participation and calibration poet get 1 point.
Host gets 4 points.
All events need 6 poets to qualify the slam as an official qualifier slam. All events need five judges to qualify as an official qualifier slam.
The National Poetry Slam (NPS) is a performance poetry competition where teams from across the United States, Canada, and France participate in a large-scale poetry slam. The event occurs in early August every year and takes place in a different US city.
The first ever National Poetry Slam took place in 1990 in San Francisco. It was organized by poet Gary Mex Glazner and featured three competing teams: Chicago (birthplace of slam), New York (Nuyorican), and San Francisco (host city).] It has been held every year since.
This will be the second year that Lawn Gnome Publishing will send a team The Copper State Championships and The National Poetry Slam.
